Sunday 17 January 2010

Proper winter snow

This winter has been a real winter...and it's not finished yet. We've had more snow this winter than for many years. It's cleared now and we seem to be back in the usual winter groove of cold, damp days with a dominant south westerly.

I managed to pop out for a walk when the heaviest snow had fallen, back on January 10th. There's a ridge above Cwmbran that connects Twmbarlwm with Mynydd Maen, and on the other side of the ridge is the Cwmcarn Scenic Drive, a country park set in a forested valley with great walking and mountain biking. It doesn't look like it from the photos, but in places I waded through snow that was approaching waist deep.

Hidden among the trees in the Scenic drive, I found a bivouac. The only recent signs of use were several discarded cans of Oranjeboom!


A made a scientific discovery. Robins like Goji berries.




This is the start of the cross country mountain bike track. I passed a number of bikers on the day despite several inches of snow on the ground.


A wild pony I've encountered a number of times on the ridge. No goji berries left so he had my apple which went down a treat.


It was easy to see that plenty of others had been out enjoying the conditions.


On the top of Twmbarlwm it was pretty bleak. A strong easterly wind and poor visibility. It felt good though.